Europe’s Largest Active Volcano

Not only is Mount Etna Europe’s largest active volcano (3,329 m (10,922 ft) high), it is also one of the world’s volcano experiencing the longest most continuous eruption. Mount Etna is an active stratovolcano located near the eastern coast of Sicily, Italy.

The eruptions are so dramatic, they are visible from space. This image of Mount Etna erupting was taken from the International Space Station (ISS) by Commander Leroy Chiao of Expedition 10 on October 30, 2002. A series of earthquakes in Italy on October 27, 2002 triggered eruptions from the volcano. The image shows higher altitude winds carrying the ash plume south toward Africa. Ash from the eruption was reported in Libya, 350 miles away.

More recently, the Copernicus Sentinel-2A satellite captured Mt. Etna erupting on March 16, 2017. In the image, the red hot lava flowing from the volcano is clearly visible. The image has been processed and the snow cover Mt. Etna has been colored blue to distinguish it from clouds.

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Geography Book Pick

The Look of Maps: An Examination of Cartographic Design is a cartographic classic by Arthur H. Robinson originally published in 1952. The book was based on Robinson’s doctoral research “which investigated the relationship between science and art in cartography and the resultant refinement of graphic techniques in mapmaking to present dynamic geographic information.”